


Rain Makes an Old Wound Ache

by sootyfeathers



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Royai - Freeform, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:33:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25142440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sootyfeathers/pseuds/sootyfeathers
Summary: It’s been exactly 1 year since the death of Maes Hughes and Colonel Roy Mustang struggles with the weight the evening brings.
Relationships: Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang
Comments: 8
Kudos: 46





	Rain Makes an Old Wound Ache

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when a writing playlist consists only of "Trisha's Lullaby" and "Midna's Lament."

Roy was sitting at his desk, stuck once again working late, well passed after dark. It was a gloomy, stormy day, rain coming down in buckets without any sign of stopping. Riza was kind enough to keep him company, or just enjoyed putting stack after stack of documents on his desk. For once in his life, he was grateful for the work. It served as an effective distraction from what day it was. At least, until now. 

He was filling out another form when he glanced at the clock on the wall. As he saw the time, a thought suddenly exploded in his head: _Hughes will be dead in five minutes._

Roy's blood froze. The horrific realization struck like lightning. His heart was pounding. He gripped the corner of the desk. Why was it so hard to breathe? Panic he managed to suppress most of the day finally got its hold on him, and he felt as though he would suffocate if he stayed in the room a second longer. He stood up suddenly, making Riza jump.

“Colonel?” she said, but he didn’t answer. Once out the office door, he ran as fast as he could down the too long hallway — though empty, to his relief — and out the towering double doors into the pouring rain. He continued down the massive white staircase and through the gate, never looking back once.

He ran out of breath just across the darkened street that divided Central Command from the residential buildings, stopping beneath a lonely streetlamp. He stumbled into it, clinging to it for support. His legs had gone numb, and there was a terrible ringing in his ears. He fell to his knees, his grip slipping down the icy iron post with white knuckles. Great drops of rain fell in heavy, windless sheets on his back, quickly soaking through his military uniform. He was soon shivering, but stayed where he was, unable to move even if he wanted to. It was as if he was turning to stone as that single thought roared through his mind: _He’s about to die again._

Footsteps on wet cobblestone rapidly approached. “Colonel!”

It was Riza. She couldn't see him like this, slumped over and holding fast to a lamp post, the only thing keeping him from collapsing entirely. 

_Pull it together, dammit!_ he thought.

“I’m fine, Lieutenant,” said Roy, but his own voice sounded odd to him, almost hollow. “I just needed some fresh air.”

He was painfully aware of how pathetic he looked, as if heavily intoxicated. Riza didn’t comment on this, however. Instead, she crouched down next to him, opening her umbrella to hold over the both of them. He was a head taller than her standing, but now, as she hunched down next to him, they were eye level. 

“Do you know the date, Lieutenant?” he said.

Riza hesitated. “I was hoping you were too busy to remember.”

“How could I ever forget?”

Roy took out his silver pocket watch and flipped it open. “It was now, as we sit here, his call came through.” His hand started to shake. “He died before he could tell me what was so damn important.”

Roy glared down at the street as Riza closed her eyes tightly. Neither said anything as the rain surrounded them in a deafening ambience. It was as if they were the only two people in the muddled and grey world, hiding beneath the shelter of a small halo of dirty yellow light.

"Even now, all I can think of is some way of bringing him back," Roy mused. "And I know what you’re thinking, Lieutenant — no, I’m not going to do anything rash.”

The rain continued to beat down harder, drowning out nearly every other sound. It was maddening.

“But still. . . I can't help but think there must be something I could do, no matter how much time passes. I will always be tempted to do the unspeakable, even after experiencing the consequences first hand.” His hand subconsciously covered his eyes. “Alchemists are horrible creatures indeed."

His throat tightened and he lapsed back into silence. It was becoming too painful to speak.

Riza reached out her hand and gently closed his open palm, clicking the watch lid shut. 

"I think that's enough fresh air for tonight, sir,” she said. "Your hands are freezing."

Roy exhaled, saying nothing. He stared at the miniature torrent of rain water trickling along the rut beneath the curb. A dead leaf swirled among the current, pulled along until it reached the storm grate, disappearing into the dark abyss.

“Do you want to visit him?” asked Riza softly. He met her gaze. Even with watery eyes and brows furrowed in concern, she was lovely to behold. She alone kept him from being engulfed entirely by grief.

Roy thought for a moment. He rubbed between his eyes and groaned, as if hit with a sudden headache. “No...no, that’s not what he would want.” He lifted his head to the black gloom of the sky above. “He would want us to see Gracia.”

As he said it, he knew he was right. He couldn't imagine how the small family Hughes had left behind was coping with this terrible day. Roy felt foolish. He had only been thinking about himself, not the ones Hughes had loved most. 

He straightened up, wiping his sopping wet hair from his face. His smile was weak, but genuine.

“If we leave now, we could get something nice for little Elicia before the shops close.”

“Are you sure you’re up for it?” Riza asked, grabbing his arm to support him as he staggered. His legs were still uncomfortably tingly and his wet clothes hung heavily.

"This is something I need to do. Knowing Hughes, the last thing he’d want is his wife and daughter alone on a night like this. _Especially_ tonight.”

His old self was returning, even if just for the moment. “You can come with me if you want, Lieutenant. Just don’t try to stop me.”

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, a shaky smile hidden beneath. “Of course, sir. But maybe you should change your clothes first.”


End file.
